Resistance training good to lower blood pressure
By IANSMonday, January 17, 2011
WASHINGTON - Resistance training is as good as aerobic exercise in lowering one’s blood pressure (BP).
The study, led by Scott Collier of the Appalachian State University in the US, is part of the growing body of research being conducted on the effects of exercise, supplements and health.
Collier looked at changes that occurred to arteries and blood flow following 45 minutes of exercise using machines like those found in fitness centres, the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research reports.
He found that the resistance training resulted in as much as a 20 percent decrease in a person’s BP, which is as good as or better than the benefit of taking anti-hypertensive medication.
“And exercise has no adverse side-effects,” Collier said, according to an Appalachian State release.
“Resistance exercise increases blood flow which reduces blood pressure.”
The findings are significant, he explained, because it shows that aerobic exercise isn’t the only way a person can improve his cardiovascular health.
“Aerobic exercise is the American Heart Association’s preferred exercise for decreasing cardiovascular risk,” he added.
“However, there are a lot of people with orthopaedic or obesity limitations who can’t walk or run long distances. For them, that type of exercise would be contraindicated.”
He found that the beneficial effects of resistance training continued about 30 minutes after the exercise had ended and as long as 24 hours in individuals who trained for 30-45 minutes three times a week.
